Keeper Pt.1" was the first HELLOWEEN-album with Michael Kiske on the vocal helm. The first two earlier releases the self-titled EP in 1985 and "Walls of Jericho" in 1986 were a style resulted form a combination between Metallica and Iron Maiden but it's on this album that their songwriting appears to be progressed and matured, and they take an important step in their musical career and with this album they bring a new genre to the metal scene: POWER METAL.

Classic, I would even dare say, genre-defining album (as the style band explored on this album were used in the future by countless clones other bands). It will always be among my power metal favourites of all time.

I actually regard Walls Of Jericho as the birthplace of Euro power metal (and indeed, the preceding EP), though the style adopted on the Keepers was more widely copied and emulated, and therefore, more influential. As for my thoughts on this album, my only gripe with it, is that it's so short. Especially in comparison with the 2nd Keeper album, which gives it a very uneven feel. I am aware that this discrepancy between the two albums is very likely due to the fact the band wanted the Keepers to be a double album, but the record company refused to allow this. Had the band got their way, I think each (and cassettes at that time! ) disc would have contained the same, or a similar amount of tracks.

Despite the shortness of the album, I can't find any fault with the songs themselves. And "Halloween" might just be the greatest track Helloween have ever recorded. The way the eerie and dark intro (clearly inspired by the original Halloween movie theme!) careens into that ferocious riff is surely one of the greatest metal moments, as is the timeless harmony solo that comes in just before the song's finale.

I actually regard Walls Of Jericho as the birthplace of Euro power metal (and indeed, the preceding EP), though the style adopted on the Keepers was more widely copied and emulated, and therefore, more influential.

Their early stuff has much more of a US power style than what they did later on, from Keepers onward. Keepers deviated from that sound I think and it's there that you get a unique sound which, as you say, was emulated within the Euro style.

I actually regard Walls Of Jericho as the birthplace of Euro power metal (and indeed, the preceding EP), though the style adopted on the Keepers was more widely copied and emulated, and therefore, more influential.

Their early stuff has much more of a US power style than what they did later on, from Keepers onward. Keepers deviated from that sound I think and it's there that you get a unique sound which, as you say, was emulated within the Euro style.

Agree. Jericho and first EP sounds like a variation of metal that already existed, to me. Keeper is euro-power birth.

Written by R'Vannith on 18.09.2012 at 07:31Their early stuff has much more of a US power style than what they did later on, from Keepers onward. Keepers deviated from that sound I think and it's there that you get a unique sound which, as you say, was emulated within the Euro style.

Nope, the genre of the early Helloween material is clearly not US power metal. I've yet to hear a US power metal album (especially pre-WOJ era Helloween) that sounds like Helloween's first EP and album. The early Helloween stuff was an amalgam of styles that had already been done before, but it was presented in a way that hadn't been done before. It was a unique sound.

Nope, the genre of the early Helloween material is clearly not US power metal. I've yet to hear a US power metal album (especially pre-WOJ era Helloween) that sounds like Helloween's first EP and album. The early Helloween stuff was an amalgam of styles that had already been done before, but it was presented in a way that hadn't been done before. It was a unique sound.

At that stage (when WOJ was released) there obviously wasn't any distinction between US and Euro as the latter didn't exist yet, so I suppose it is incorrect to say that they WERE US power metal. What I meant was stylistically that pre-Keeper material sounds more along the lines of what power metal evolved from which was that pretty ambiguous "Speed metal" sub-genre.

I also didn't mean to suggest that their early material wasn't unique in any way, just that I can associate it with it's speed metal roots, which is something that US power metal seemed to stick closer with as it became it's own category.

So I find it confusing that you can't hear anything about WOJ, for example, which sounds similar to the style which the US branch took to. You have it right in saying that it's an amalgam of styles, that makes sense to me as it was all very ambiguous at that point with different influences coming into play (thrash, NWOBHM). With this sort of thing it's not easy to pinpoint where sub genres originate, your opinion is most likely as valid as mine. Certainly without the pre-Keeper stuff we wouldn't have had the sound which shifted to that used on the Keeper albums themselves, therefore no Euro power metal.

Written by R'Vannith on 18.09.2012 at 12:22At that stage (when WOJ was released) there obviously wasn't any distinction between US and Euro as the latter didn't exist yet, so I suppose it is incorrect to say that they WERE US power metal. What I meant was stylistically that pre-Keeper material sounds more along the lines of what power metal evolved from which was that pretty ambiguous "Speed metal" sub-genre.

I also didn't mean to suggest that their early material wasn't unique in any way, just that I can associate it with it's speed metal roots, which is something that US power metal seemed to stick closer with as it became it's own category.

I know that, and when I said "US power metal" I was reffering to the evolving style that would eventually become known as "US power metal". I know it wasn't reffered to as that at the time in the early 80's. I also never tried to disassociate the early Helloween from their speed metal roots with what I said.

Written by R'Vannith on 18.09.2012 at 12:22So I find it confusing that you can't hear anything about WOJ, for example, which sounds similar to the style which the US branch took to. You have it right in saying that it's an amalgam of styles, that makes sense to me as it was all very ambiguous at that point with different influences coming into play (thrash, NWOBHM). With this sort of thing it's not easy to pinpoint where sub genres originate, your opinion is most likely as valid as mine. Certainly without the pre-Keeper stuff we wouldn't have had the sound which shifted to that used on the Keeper albums themselves, therefore no Euro power metal.

I could understand you finding it confusing had I actually said I couldn't hear anything in WOJ that resembled the style that would be known eventually as US power metal. I stated that there was differences between early Helloween and that genre, I was not denying that there are any similarities between the two. WOJ (and the first EP) were an amalgam of styles, US power metal (though it wasn't known as that at the time) included. Although the differences between what Helloween were doing as compared to the Americans were quite subtle at that time, they nonetheless existed, and to my ears, very clearly so. You're right in your last point, and certainly, to me at least, the Keeper albums have a lot stylistically in common with Helloween's earliest works. Give those albums a rawer production, and have Kai Hansen singing instead of Michael Kiske, and the difference between WOJ and the Keepers wouldn't appear as striking as they do now. The Keepers were more like an extention of the EP/WOJ style, rather than a whole new genre in it's own right. But yep, your opinion has validity to it too. lol

I could understand you finding it confusing had I actually said I couldn't hear anything in WOJ that resembled the style that would be known eventually as US power metal. I stated that there was differences between early Helloween and that genre, I was not denying that there are any similarities between the two. WOJ (and the first EP) were an amalgam of styles, US power metal (though it wasn't known as that at the time) included. Although the differences between what Helloween were doing as compared to the Americans were quite subtle at that time, they nonetheless existed, and to my ears, very clearly so. You're right in your last point, and certainly, to me at least, the Keeper albums have a lot stylistically in common with Helloween's earliest works. Give those albums a rawer production, and have Kai Hansen singing instead of Michael Kiske, and the difference between WOJ and the Keepers wouldn't appear as striking as they do now. The Keepers were more like an extention of the EP/WOJ style, rather than a whole new genre in it's own right. But yep, your opinion has validity to it too. lol

Ah ok, I misinterpreted what you meant there, with the similarities. That's true too, that the Keeper albums aren't exactly hugely different from their earlier stuff, though I would say there is enough of a difference to warrant people attaching the origins of Euro power to them. Rather than pinpoint which particular album that sub genre starts with it's probably safer to just say Helloween started the genre. However, their style eventually influenced many bands, so it's probably more logical to say that the origins of Euro power starts with their very first recording.

Illog1cal - 13.01.2013 at 01:35

Seemed a tad underwhelming to me. Was 'Judas' a track that was originally supposed to be on the album? The album needed to be longer and it seems strange that they would put it right in between the original track listing in the reissue if it was not meant to be part of the original album, I'm assuming it was meant to be part of the original album.

Seemed a tad underwhelming to me. Was 'Judas' a track that was originally supposed to be on the album? The album needed to be longer and it seems strange that they would put it right in between the original track listing in the reissue if it was not meant to be part of the original album, I'm assuming it was meant to be part of the original album.

I don't think it was meant to man... I don't even have it on my copy, and its not like I bought it in the 80s ya know. LOL

Seemed a tad underwhelming to me. Was 'Judas' a track that was originally supposed to be on the album? The album needed to be longer and it seems strange that they would put it right in between the original track listing in the reissue if it was not meant to be part of the original album, I'm assuming it was meant to be part of the original album.

I don't think it was meant to man... I don't even have it on my copy, and its not like I bought it in the 80s ya know. LOL

Judas isn't part of the original Keeper Part 1. Judas was just a single from 1986 and was only added much much later as a bonus track for the cd version of Keeper Pt. 1, orignally Keeper Part 1 wasn't even released as cd, just merely as a vinyl version.

I don't know what could make anyone think that Judas was meant to be part of Keeper Pt. 1, when Kai Hansen sings "Judas", not Michael Kiske! The album is so short though, it might have been a good idea for them to have re-recorded that song with Michael Kiske for the first Keeper album...

I don't know what could make anyone think that Judas was meant to be part of Keeper Pt. 1, when Kai Hansen sings "Judas", not Michael Kiske! The album is so short though, it might have been a good idea for them to have re-recorded that song with Michael Kiske for the first Keeper album...

Agreed. That's why I am so glad they re-recorded Starlight and Victim of Fate...which are a part of this album, in my version

I finally got around to picking up the remastered edition last summer... and I had almost forgotten what a glorious album this really is.

The quality drops a bit in the middle - "Twilight of the Gods" is not quite as good as the other rockers, and "A Tale That Wasn't Right" is a decent but unspectacular ballad. The rest, however, is some of the best power metal ever recorded, and the album's shortness works in its favour - it's quick and to the point. Some great speedy rockers, a ballad and an excellent epic - all in 37 minutes.

Yes, "Halloween" is fantastic.

Metropolis_Dream - 03.04.2013 at 19:18

This is the most perfect Helloween CD for me. Each song is the definition of power metal. But theres one problem though: Its too short.:)

Some albums just just bring music to an other level. If you try to put you back in 87 and have a look of what music albums were done around those years, you can understand how that album is a masterpiece. Today IMO, it's still one of the album a ever heard. To be honnest, it's my 2nd of my top of all time. That being said, you know now which one is my prefered one.

Revisiting this one of the first power metal albums I ever listened, well it's not as impressive as back in that day, but still a great album for sure. I always regarded this one as one of those rare power metal albums that has both melodies and balls, power metal albums usually tend to lack the latter. The best thing here IMO is the guitar leads and solos. Of course the vocals are great as well because it's Kiske. The songs #4 and #5 always seemed and still seem like kinda fillerish/weak on this album's standards. "Victim Of Fate" and "Starlight" of the expanded edition are indeed interesting additions, but I actually do prefer the vocals of the original versions.

Revisiting this one of the first power metal albums I ever listened, well it's not as impressive as back in that day, but still a great album for sure. I always regarded this one as one of those rare power metal albums that has both melodies and balls, power metal albums usually tend to lack the latter. The best thing here IMO is the guitar leads and solos. Of course the vocals are great as well because it's Kiske. The songs #4 and #5 always seemed and still seem like kinda fillerish/weak on this album's standards. "Victim Of Fate" and "Starlight" of the expanded edition are indeed interesting additions, but I actually do prefer the vocals of the original versions.

Youre spot on as always Jope. When it came it felt much harder, but today you can hear how they have tried to tame Ingos drums. Very very good album, but its hard to ignore the fact that the turn to commerical music already had begun with this album. The furious drumming from WoJ is toned down for ballads.
But... If I ignore WoJ and the fall in to commercial deprivation, if Helloween only had made this album. Then it is almost a Masterpiece.

P.s Victim of Fate with Kiske must be the most cheese ive heard in a while. It sounds like hes born in the right part of the town.

Yeah this is good shit for the most part. The two first tracks are my favourites, I'm Alive satisfies the craving for speed metal and A Little Time offers a great sing along chorus. The track Halloween is jam packed with excellent riffing as well. The rest is not as classic but not bad in any way.